Hydrangea plant named ‘DVP Pinky’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘DVP Pinky’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; large upright flower panicles; and large panicles with white-colored sterile flowers that become purple in color during the fall.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hydrangea paniculata cultivar DVP Pinky.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name DVP Pinky.

The new Hydrangea originated from an open-pollination in 1997 of the Hydrangea paniculata cultivar Pink Diamond, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Hydrangea paniculata, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar DVP Pinky was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Melle, Belgium in 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings taken in Melle, Belgium since the summer of 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar DVP Pinky have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DVP Pinky’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DVP Pinky’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Large upright flower panicles.     -   3. Large panicles with white-colored sterile flowers that become         purple in color during the fall.

Plants of the new Hydrangea are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Pink Diamond. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Hydrangea differed from plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea were not as outwardly spreading         as plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea had more sterile flowers per         inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.     -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea had larger sterile flowers than         plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.     -   5. Plants of the new Hydrangea and the cultivar Pink Diamond         differed in flower coloration in the fall as flowers of plants         of the new Hydrangea were darker in color than flowers of the         cultivar Pink Diamond.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

The photograph at the bottom of the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘DVP Pinky’ in August showing the purple coloration that develops during the late summer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘DVP Pinky’ in July prior to the flower color change.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in Grand Haven, Mich., in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to 30° C., and night temperatures ranged from 12 to 20° C. Plants were about two years old when the photographs and description were taken. Photographs and description were taken during the summer and fall.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea paniculata cultivar DVP Pinky. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata cultivar Pink             Diamond, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Hydrangea paniculata             selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About two months             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading             plant habit; inverted triangle; dense and bushy perennial             shrub. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 1             meter.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 75 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about 15 lateral branches             per plant. Pruning will enhance branching potential.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 1 meter. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 3.4 cm. Strength: Very strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 187B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 14.5 cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic to             ovate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly,             pubescent; rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.             Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138A.             Venation, upper surface: 144C. Venation, lower surface:             144B. Petiole: Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 187B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single fertile and sterile flowers             arranged on large terminal panicles. Sterile flowers with             large showy sepals, but without petals and reproductive             organs. Fertile flowers, inconspicuous, but with petals,             sepals and reproductive organs. Sterile flowers persistent;             fertile flowers not persistent. Fertile and sterile flowers             are not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from summer             through fall in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about 18 weeks on the             plant. As cut flowering stems, panicles last about four             weeks.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; one terminal panicle             per lateral branch with about 325 sterile flowers and about             242 fertile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 28 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 17 cm.         -   Panicle shape.—Conical.         -   Flower diameter.—Sterile flowers: About 6 cm. Fertile             flowers: About 9 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—Sterile flowers: About 1.5 cm.             Fertile flowers: About 8 mm.         -   Flower buds, fertile and sterile flowers.—Length: About             4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: 141D.         -   Petals (petals present only on fertile flowers; sterile             flowers do not have petals).—Arrangement: About five.             Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: 155D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Fertile flowers: About five,             fused into a calyx. Sterile flowers: About seven. Length:             Fertile flowers: Less than 1 mm. Sterile flowers: About             3.1 cm. Width: Fertile flowers: Less than 1 mm. Sterile             flowers: About 1.9 cm. Shape: Fertile flowers: Connate.             Sterile flowers: Obovate. Apex: Fertile flowers: Acute.             Sterile flowers: Obtuse to retuse. Base: Fertile flowers:             Fused. Sterile flowers: Cuneate. Margin, fertile and sterile             flowers: Entire. Texture, fertile and sterile flowers, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Fertile             flowers: When opening and fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces, 155A. Sterile flowers: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: 155D; color transitioning through various shades             of pink to eventually to 186A with development towards the             end of summer.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Length:             About 27 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color             flowers: 147D.         -   Pedicels.—Angle, fertile and sterile flowers: Variable,             dependent on position in the panicle; erect to about 90°             from vertical. Strength, fertile and sterile flowers:             Strong. Length: Fertile flowers: About 2 mm. Sterile             flowers: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: Fertile flowers: About             1 mm. Sterile flowers: About 1.5 mm. Texture, fertile and             sterile flowers: Smooth. Color, fertile and sterile flowers:             155A.         -   Reproductive organs (reproductive organs present only on             fertile flowers; sterile flowers do not have reproductive             organs).—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About ten. Anther             shape: Round. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 155A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 155A. Pistils: Pistil             quantity per flower: Three, fused. Pistil length: About             4 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: 155A. Style length:             About 1 mm. Style color: 155A. Ovary color: 155A.         -   Fruit.—Type: Capsule, dehiscent. Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Urn-shaped. Color: Close to             177A.         -   Seed.—Minute, dust-like. Length: Less than 0.5 mm. Diameter:             Less than 0.5 mm. Color: Brown. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to be     tolerant to temperatures ranging from −30 to 33° C. Flowers of     plants of the relatively tolerant to wind and rain. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘DVP Pinky’, as illustrated and described. 